Dale Schilly's Blog One

Welcome to the first edition of the SLSG Metro Blog.  This blog will be written with youth soccer enthusiasts in mind, particularly those who are the families of players from Southern Illinois.

This weekend many of us tuned into the NCAA Divison I College Cup.  All three games were very exciting and those who have watched for a while could see the improved quality of the soccer being played.  We are beginning to see the impact that better coaching at the youth level, more access to high level games on television and higher performance standards are having on the development of soccer players in the United States.  UNC, Akron, Louisville and to a certain extent Michigan all tried to play.  The players on the field representing their coaches and schools were technical, skillful and possessed the tools to play at the level that was required of them.  The game in this country is evolving and the demands of the game require that players possess a certain mastery of the ball in order to allow them to compete. While all four programs should be commended for their success this year, they should also be commended, more importantly, for helping bring the game forward another step.

People get into coaching for a variety of reasons with one of the main reasons being the development of relationships.  Of those who participated in the NCAA Finals Week, I was fortunate to coach four players and the associate coach of Akron worked for me at Metro United before joining the Zips.  Perry Kitchen(Akron), Aaron Horton(Louisville), Dylan Mares(Louisville) and Soony Saad(Michigan), seen here at Celtic United, all played on my Regional ODP team that traveled to Scotland to play Middlesborough, Celtics and Rangers.  All four are very good players, were influential in the tournament, and, if they continue to develop, will make a living playing soccer professionally.  It would not surprise me to see a couple of them playing in Europe someday.  Kitchen scored the tying goal vs Michigan, Saad hit the post as he tried to tie the game vs Akron, Mares played very well as the attacking midfielder for Louisville and had his own near miss in the final.  Aaron Horton, scored the winning goal in both the quarterfinal and semifinal, but missed a chance to tie with the Akron GK out of position in the 90th minute of the Championship.  He will see that one in his sleep until he scores that next big goal.

More notable, however, coach Iggy has won a National Championship. Jared Embick, known to all of us as Iggy, coached for me with Metro United for 5 years.  Iggy is one of the few guys that I offered a position with the HS age kids. He has a very good soccer mind, a great demeanor and as I watched Akron play, he has been very influential with the kids.  All of us from Metro United and now SLSG Metro offer a heartfelt congratulations to Iggy on winning the National Championship.  Well done, Iggy!